Listening scripts 125
Listening scripts
Unit 1
It’s my job
I work for an electricity supply company in the
United Arab Emirates. I started the job two
years ago. I’m a machinist. Every day, I work in
the workshop at a power station. The
workshop is responsible for repairing things. We
try to keep plant downtime as low as possible.
Shutting down the plant for repairs can cause
problems.
At school, my favourite subjects were maths
and physics. I also like practical work: using
tools, repairing equipment, and reading
drawings.
Right now, I’m on a general engineering
course. The course includes basic maths and
mechanics, machine shop practice, and also
English classes. The course leads to a diploma.
I finish the general engineering course next
year. Then I can apply for a foundation course.
After that, I want to study for a degree in
electrical engineering.
I want to get a job in the Project Department,
after my foundation course. The Project
Department deals with project management,
costs, and contracts. I can also learn more about
power distribution and electrical engineering
there.
In my spare time, I play football and follow
motor racing. We went to the Formula One
race track at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi recently.
The engineering of the racing cars is inspiring!
Listening
Joanne At school, I did work experience
at a civil engineering company. I loved
it because it showed me engineering
everywhere – in roads, buildings, bridges.
Engineers make the world!
Marcos When I was a child, I loved taking
things apart. I wanted to see how they
worked. I enjoyed maths and physics at
school, and then I heard about mechanical
engineering. Now my job is understanding
how things work. It’s perfect for me.
Mosaad I want to help people and to do
good in the world. In my job as a materials
engineer, I develop materials that doctors
use to help people. Right now, I’m working
on materials for artificial arms and legs.
Anders Like most children, I loved buses
and planes and trains. But I never stopped
loving them! Now I work as an electronics
engineer for a car maker. I love my job!
Terry After high school, I wasn’t sure what
to study. My maths and physics marks
were good, so I joined the Royal Air Force as
a technician, and after two years, they sent
me to study aerospace engineering.
Unit 2
Listening
B = Bernard, A = Ahmad, J = James, P = Paul
B Thanks for coming to the meeting, and
thank you for your work so far on the
inhaler.
We’ve selected Concept 5. We’ll finish the
detailed design next month. Ahmad is
head of the design team, so he’ll explain
A
the advantages of Concept 5.
Thanks, Bernard. There are two main
benefits of the new design. The first is a
lower overall cost. We’ve made it
cheaper
by eliminating the disposable housing. This
makes it more environmentally friendly,
too. The second benefit is improved air flow.
It’s the result of careful CFD analysis, so
there’s very good science behind it.
J Sorry, what’s that?
A It’s a computer modelling system. It uses
complex mathematics to analyse fluid
flows.
J OK. Thanks. So the prototype works
well, but it’s big, isn’t it?
A Yes, that’s right. And we’ve got the product
designers working on that right now. Paul’s
responsible for that, so I’ll let him explain.
P Thanks, Ahmad. We’ve just completed
our ergonomic review. There are two
main ergonomic issues. First, the inhaler
has to fit properly in the hand. Second, it
needs
to be easy to operate – even for children.
We’re working on some improvements
and modifications. The next step is to talk
to manufacturing about materials and to
marketing about colours. After we’ve agreed
on materials and colours, we’ll do revised
drawings for the next prototype. The
schedule is tight, so we must complete the
next prototype in three weeks.
B OK, thanks a lot, Paul. After we get Stage 3
approval for the prototype next May, we’ll
be able to go into pre-test production …
Number talk
1 A Add up these numbers for me. Twelve
plus six point five plus ninety-nine.
B Twelve plus six point five plus ninety-
nine equals one hundred and seventeen
point five.
2 A What’s sixty-four divided by eight?
B Sixty-four divided by eight? That’s eight.
3 A What’s pi?
B Pi? Pi is three point one four.
4 A Five hundred and sixty minus two
hundred and fifty. What does that come
to?
B Five hundred and sixty subtract two
hundred and fifty? It’s three hundred
and ten.
5 A What’s nine squared?
B Nine squared equals eighty-one.
A Oh, OK. Thanks.
6 A What’s three cubed?
B Three cubed is three times three times
three.
A Three times three times three. So it’s
twenty-seven.
It’s my job
I = interviewer, H = Hari
I How did you become a structural design
engineer?
H I’ve always enjoyed making things. As a
child, I made models of cranes and bridges.
At that time, I didn’t know anything about
maths or science.
I Where do you work?
H I work for a specialist crane company in
Kuala Lumpur.
I What are you working on now?
H I’m working on a new tower crane, for
building skyscrapers. I’m generating a
layout model, doing calculations, and
producing detailed design drawings.
I So you draw by hand?
H Not much. I use a computer for CAD
– computer-aided design. My most
interesting work is using CAD.
I What are your main responsibilities?
H I have to make sure the calculations are
correct. You have to know the reach and
maximum load and its centre of gravity,
and how the loads are transferred from
the
tower base. Then we have to consider
natural forces such as wind and seismic
loads. Our work has to meet specifications,
for safety reasons. When a crane is delivered
and put together, I need to visit the site. I
usually talk to the workers, although I don’t
have to.
I What advice would you give to anyone
looking for a career in design engineering?
H The hardest part is getting that first job. Use
your college careers service and do lots of
research while you’re studying. You mustn’t
leave it until your final year. Try and get a
holiday placement before your final year
doing anything that might give you work
experience.
Unit 3
Pronunciation
Exercise 3
current, kelvin, metre, second
temperature, accurate, kilogram, measurement
amount, control, inspect, rely
equipment, appliance, inspection, inspector
Listening
Conversation 1
M = machine shop supervisor, I = inspector
M Can you explain this rejection?
I There must be something wrong with it.
Let’s look at the rejection slip. Yes, the
dimension between the pads is out of
tolerance.
M How much is it out?
I About three millimetres.
M Oh, no. There are thirty in the batch. Are
they all like that?
I No, I’ve checked the others and they’re all
acceptable.
M Are there thirty in there, or thirty-one?
I I’ll check again, just a minute. One, two …
twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one.
M Oh, that’s good. We’re all right then. I don’t
know what happened.
I The machinist probably used a reject when
he set his machine up. Then he probably put
it with the other parts by mistake.
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126 Listening scripts
Conversation 2
J = Jim, T = Tariq
J Tariq, this should be a light push fit but
it didn’t feel right when I measured it
with the plug gauge.
T The hole must be too small.
J No, the size can’t be the problem. I’ve just
checked this hole and it measured within
tolerance.
T Have you got the drawing?
J I’ve got it over here. It’s part number 3785-
65D. That’s the hole just there.
T Mmm. Twenty-five millimetres plus or
minus nought point nought two one. It’s not
out of round. Have you checked the surface
finish?
J No, not yet. That could be the problem.
T It looks a bit rough to me. Write up the
rejection slip and send it back. Make a note.
The machine shop might be able to rework
it.
J OK. Thanks, Tariq.
Unit 4
Listening
A Could you explain the test procedure for me?
B Sure. In this procedure, the panels are load
tested.
A And that’s to make sure the design
calculations are correct?
B That’s right. The designers have
calculated shear forces and stresses in
tension and compression and we now
check what they’ve predicted.
A OK.
B First, the load cylinders are attached to the
panels. The load cylinders are colour coded.
This makes it easy to attach them to the
panels correctly.
A OK. What about the instrumentation?
B The strain gauges and load cells are
connected to the measuring equipment.
They’re numbered and coded, too.
don A OK, so what happens when you run it?
need goo B First, an initial loading of 50 kilos is applied by
explain briefly
increasing the pressure in the load cylinders.
Then the instrument readings are checked
stopped if the
against the readings
expected aren’tThe
values. within
test twenty
is
per cent. I don’t want to go above a stress of
400 megapascals. The strain and deflection
values are in the table on this
sheet.
A Right.
B If everything’s OK, the load is increased in
stages and the strain and deflection values
are recorded for each load condition.
A How many times is the test repeated?
B It’s usually repeated five times. The fatigue
tests are being done separately.
A And is it taken up to destruction after the
fatigue tests?
B Yep.
Number talk
Exercise 2
a one billion f one
b ten g ten million
c one hundred h one million
million i one hundred
d ten thousand j zero point one
e one thousand k zero point zero one
Exercise 3
The unit of force is the newton. The unit
of pressure, stress, and tensile strength is
the pascal. One million pascals equals one
megapascal. One million megapascals equals
one gigapascal. Strain is not expressed in
units. It is the percentage change in a
material under stress. The force of this tank on
its base is 19 500 newtons. Pressure inside the
tank is
18 megapascals. The compressive strain on the
concrete base is 0.000 64%.
Unit 5
Listening
I = interviewer, S = Stefan
I I’m talking with Stefan Urbach, chief engineer
on the new maglev train system which has
just opened at Wessex Airport. Stefan, you
must be very proud now that it’s in
operation.
S It’s all thanks to the excellent teamwork
between the airport authority and the
contractor and suppliers. The project is on
time and on budget.
I Why did you choose maglev technology? I
mean, it was tried at Birmingham Airport 25
years ago and it didn’t work.
S Well, there have been a lot of
developments since then. In fact, it’s
probably the most reliable transport
system there is today,
and it’s very low maintenance. The running
costsforarepassengers.
low and it’sWe ’t need
safe and very high
comfortable
speed, but we d acceleration.
I Can you how maglev
technology works?
S The system is called an EMS, sion, or
system. There
electromagnetic
are magnets on the suspe n and magnets in the
train
track, with like poles. The same polarity of
the magnets keeps the train above the track.
I So the train doesn’t touch the track?
S Exactly. There are no wheels. It’s almost
like flying.
I So what makes it go?
S It’s powered by a ‘linear motor’ in the track.
There’s no motor on the train.
I Can you explain simply to our listeners how
the linear motor works?
S Sure. There are lines of coils of wire all along
the track, underneath the track. If you send
an electromagnetic field along the coils,
it pulls the magnets in the train with it. It
works as a brake, too and when the train
decelerates, it feeds electrical energy back
into the system.
I Does the system have any drawbacks?
S Well, you need a very sophisticated,
complex control system to ensure stable
equilibrium, but the technology for that is
available these days.
I What about costs?
S We had to look at the cost of the project
over its whole life. The project was relatively
expensive to install – more expensive than a
traditional light rail system. However, it will
be very low maintenance and very reliable.
Also, power consumption is low, because we
only have to overcome drag forces and
these are only significant at higher
velocities.
We put energy back into the system when
we decelerate. All of that means that the
system will be relatively cheap to run.
Number talk
Exercise 1
1 Thrust is expressed in newtons.
2 Speed is expressed in metres per second.
3 Velocity is expressed in metres per second
4
plus direction.
Acceleration is expressed in metres per
second squared.
Exercise 3
1 A How much thrust does this jet engine
produce?
B Eight thousand seven hundred newtons.
2 A How fast is the train going?
B Seventy metres per second.
3 A What’s the velocity of the plane?
B Ninety metres per second to the north.
4 A What’s the acceleration of the car?
B Three metres per second squared.
Unit 6
Number talk
Exercise 1
Resistance is calculated using the equation
below. The SI unit of resistance is the ohm. The
symbol ohm is the Greek letter omega.
divided by current
Resistance through
equals PD acrossconductor
conductor––amps.
volts –
For example, if a PD of six volts is needed to
make a current of three amps flow through
a wire: resistance equals six volts divided by
three amps equals two ohms.
We use these units for measuring higher
resistances:
One kilohm equals one thousand ohms.
One megohm equals one million ohms.
Exercise 3
1 Twelve volts divided by four amps equals
three ohms.
2 One thousand four hundred volts divided by
forty amps equals thirty-five ohms.
3 Two hundred thousand volts divided by
fifty amps equals four kilohms.
4 Five million volts divided by two amps
equals two point five megohms.
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